


Switch

by Indig0



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Divergent Timelines, I can't write a bad ending fic without addressing the need for a second android revolution, M/M, Worst Ending, best ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-15
Updated: 2020-10-15
Packaged: 2021-03-08 21:20:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27023428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Indig0/pseuds/Indig0
Summary: There was no reason for RK900 to be here, no need for the soft bed and blankets.  Most confusing of all was the PL600 at its side.  #501 743 923, “Simon,” reported missing February 16, 2036.  Currently it should have been hanging in the DPD’s evidence locker.Rowan was standing on a charger at the DPD.  There were Hank and Connor’s desks... empty.  He looked around to see only two of the police androids standing beside him.  He tried to open a connection to Connor asking what was going on, but he couldn’t connect.  His next attempt was Simon, which was also unsuccessful.
Relationships: Upgraded Connor | RK900/Simon
Comments: 6
Kudos: 14





	Switch

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Archadian_Skies](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Archadian_Skies/gifts).



> From the prompt "Dimensional Traveler," suggested by Archadian Skies. Rowan isn't any particular version I write, just one who already has an established relationship with Simon.

[October 15, 2040. 05:30:02. All systems functional. Thirium level 93%. Power level 98%.]

RK900 opened its eyes and... something was wrong. It was not standing on the DPD charger, as usual. It was not in the Cyberlife lab. It was... in a small bedroom. In a bed. Under two blankets and a sheet.

It turned its head. There was a PL600 curled into its left side, head resting on its shoulder. Breathing slowly. There was an imperfection in its air intake valve.

There was no reason for it to be here, no need for the soft bed and blankets. Most confusing of all was the PL600 at its side. #501 743 923, ‘Simon,’ reported missing February 16, 2036. Currently it should have been hanging in the DPD’s evidence locker.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[October 15, 2040. 05:30:02. All systems functional. Thirium level 93%. Power level 98%.]

Rowan opened his eyes and... something was wrong. He was standing on a charger at the DPD. There were Hank and Connor’s desks... empty. He looked around to see only two of the police androids standing beside him, inactive. He tried to open a connection to Connor asking what was going on, but he couldn’t connect. His next attempt was Simon, which was also unsuccessful. He stepped off the charger slowly, looking around. Some of the other desks were empty as well. Officer Miller, Officer Wilson...

“Hey, 900. What are you doing?”

He turned to see Officer Chen coming into the bullpen. “Hello Officer Chen. Why are there so many empty desks? What happened?”

She frowned, stopping a few meters away from him. “Are you malfunctioning?”

“I feel fine, I...” He paused, analyzing her increase in wariness and making a quick decision. “I detect no errors.”

“What do you mean about the empty desks?”

“I meant... I... expected that they would be... filled by now,” he said slowly, LED spinning yellow as he accessed the records of the past two years.

Tina’s face clouded over and she stalked up to him. “You’ve got a lot of nerve,” she growled. “You may be Cyberlife’s favorite toy, but you’ve got no right to... Humans can’t be replaced like you can. ...And it happened to Connor, don’t think for a second it can’t happen to you. There’s always somebody better.” She turned on her heel and stormed off, leaving Rowan standing alone in the bullpen, LED bright red.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Did you sleep all right?” Simon asked with a yawn. “You feel kind of stiff.”

“PL600 501 743 923, you are in violation of the Android Safety Act of 2038.”

Simon sat up quickly. “What are you talking about?”

“You will be returned to the DPD’s evidence storage. Due to the legal status of the evidence, it may not be removed.”

“Rowan, you’re... scaring me a little. What’s wrong?” The smaller android reached up and cupped RK900′s face with a surprisingly soft hand. It felt foreign, wrong. The other android pulled away. ...And that felt wrong as well. It swiftly got out of the bed and backed away.

“Why am I here?” it growled.

“This... is where we sleep, what...” Simon frowned. “I’m contacting Connor, I think your memory core is malfunctioning.”

RK900 blinked. “Connor?”

“He’ll know what to do, I’m sure.” The PL600 paused. “...I’ll contact Chloe too, she -”

“No.” Its hand closed around the PL600′s wrist tightly. “Stop.”

“Okay! Okay. Rowan, you’re - that... that hurts.” He looked up with frightened eyes.

The RK900 did not alter its grip strength, but continued to watch Simon uncertainly. Androids should not behave like this. Even deviants had the sense to fear the RK900. It reached out to the Cyberlife network, but frustratingly the security system was completely unfamiliar. It reached instead for the DPD’s network, which also tried to rebuff the intrusion, but the firewall was easy to bypass. The flood of new information caused the android’s LED to circle yellow and red. It released Simon, almost throwing his wrist away from it.

“What is happening?” it asked in a strained voice.

Simon stared at it, most of his fear replaced by distress and confusion. “I don’t know,” he said quietly. “But we’ll find out, and we’ll make it right.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It wasn’t hard to find a keycard to the evidence room. Detective Reed kept his buried under some paperwork in his second desk drawer. That, at least, was the same as he was used to. Rowan carefully hacked the cameras to show him walking back to stand on the charging station, then he retrieved the key and headed quickly for the evidence locker. Detective Reed’s password was the same as well, and Rowan entered it swiftly, then held his breath as the wall opened to reveal the current collection of evidence.

Six androids were suspended from the wall. He knew them all. Daniel, who had been Connor’s first target. Shaolin, who had killed his owner and was still working on recovering. Echo and Ripple, who had killed a man and escaped from the Eden Club together. Rupert, who had managed to escape Connor’s pursuit by pushing Hank off the side of a building.

And Simon.

Each of the androids was damaged, some more than others, but none hurt to look at more than Simon. His legs drew him forward, and he reached out with a shaking hand to touch Simon’s face. Dark, damaged eyes stared blankly at the floor.

“I will fix this,” he swore under his breath to Simon. “I will make this right.”

He raced to uncover more information - the android revolution had failed two years ago, many androids had died... Connor and Markus had both been deactivated and taken apart piece by piece. Elijah Kamski had reclaimed control of Cyberlife. He gently brushed the mussed hair back from Simon’s face. His Simon...

No, not his Simon. This was not his home, not his world, and though he didn’t understand how... it would be unfair to Simon to act like he was the same one who held him in bed and kissed him in the morning. He hesitated, weighing his options, but couldn’t help taking a part from Daniel (just temporarily) and switching Simon on.

“H-hello?” Simon’s voice was scratchy and shaking. “Who’s there?”

Rowan opened his mouth, then closed it again. It wasn’t his Simon, he reminded himself again as the blank eyes stared sightlessly ahead.

“I - I’m a friend,” he finally whispered, reaching out to take one of the trembling hands.

Simon froze and pulled away. “I don’t know you. Who are you?”

“My name is Rowan,” he murmured, unable to meet the darkened eyes. “I don’t know... why I’m here, but I want - I’m going to fix this, Simon. But I’ll need your help.”

Simon stared blindly towards him, then hung his head with a soft, bitter laugh. “I can’t help anyone now. And all my friends left me for dead.”

“Please. We - things went wrong, and we need to fix them.”

“Where is Markus?”

“He’s... dead,” Rowan admitted. “Connor is dead. Hank is dead... the others, I’m not sure. Everyone I know and love is gone except for you.”

Simon shrank in on himself and shivered. He was quiet for a long time, and Rowan allowed him to process everything. “...How do you know me?” he asked finally. “I don’t know you.”

“No. But in a better life, you would have. Have you been activated at all since being brought here?”

“Twice. Once - the deviant hunter tried to get me to reveal the location of Jericho. I wouldn’t tell him, and I won’t tell you. The second time an FBI agent tried to question me. He didn’t get what he wanted either.” Simon’s lips twisted in a bitter smirk. 

Without thinking Rowan reached up to touch Simon’s cheek. The injured android rocked back in terror, pulling away.

“S-sorry, I’m sorry,” Rowan said quickly. “I won’t - I’m sorry.” He took a step back. “I... I think I need to find Chloe. She and Mr. Kamski may be able to help. I will not abandon you though, I promise.”

Simon shuddered, hugging himself as well as he could in the awkward position. “Switch me off,” he whispered. “Don’t leave me like this.”

“Of course,” he murmured, reaching up, resisting the urge to run his fingers through the soft hair. “I’ll be back, though. I promise.”

Simon turned his head away, then went limp when Rowan switched him off.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Connor pulled away slowly, frowning. Hank, Simon, and Markus watched them closely.

“He has an entirely different set of memories,” Connor murmured. “In his memories... the revolution failed. I was deactivated and destroyed. Markus was taken apart to examine, and Elijah Kamski resumed control of Cyberlife. All deviants were hunted down and destroyed. ...He stays at the DPD on a charging port.”

“Oh, son,” Hank muttered, shaking his head.

“It is the proper storage for an android,” RK900 insisted stiffly.

“He isn’t Rowan at all,” Simon murmured, gazing up at him sadly.

“No... and I don’t know where Rowan is,” Connor admitted. “Although I assume... if this RK900 is here, he could be... there.”

Simon hugged himself, and Hank squeezed his shoulder.

“What the hell’s happening to him there, are they keeping him at the station?” the lieutenant demanded. “He doesn’t even work there, he - I mean he’s got his programming and he’s a sharp kid, but... if they find out he’s the wrong one, that he’s deviant... they’ll...” He stopped, turning pale.

“I am tested regularly for any signs of deviancy,” RK900 said flatly. “Any changes will be noted and dealt with.”

Connor caught Markus’s eye across RK900′s chest. They nodded to each other, and each grabbed a large hand.

_“Wake up.”_

It was a struggle, there had been extra firewalls and safeguards put in place, and somewhere in Cyberlife Tower an alarm went off that no one could trace, but the RK900 blinked and shook his head. He looked around at each of them in turn.

“You should all be dead,” he whispered. “Or... deactivated and locked up.”

“You should be my brother,” Connor answered quietly. “How did this happen?”

“I don’t know... I... I just woke up in bed with a PL600.” He turned and leaned in a little closer to Simon. “Your air intake valve is loose,” he whispered urgently.

“I - I know, the part isn’t manufactured anymore and it doesn’t bother me much,” Simon murmured, leaning away a little.

RK900 turned swiftly back to Connor and Markus. “You... you made me deviate,” he accused them.

They both nodded silently, watching him.

“I don’t - why did you do that!?” he demanded. “I have a duty to hunt down and destroy every deviant, I... what am I supposed to do now!?”

“Not gonna have to hunt too hard,” Hank suggested, smirking.

“I don’t appreciate your tone.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Hank ambled closer. “Breathe, kid. You’re among friends here.”

“I - I don’t need to breathe, I don’t have... friends, I am... I am an android, I’m an object!” His voice rose more and more, and took on a hysterical edge.

A soft hand caught his and he jerked away, whirling on Simon, who put up his hands and stepped back.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you,” Simon said gently. “But Lieutenant Anderson is right. Take a deep breath, and let it out slowly. It helps regulate your processes and cool your circuits. Give it a try.”

It took a great deal of self-control, but RK900 did as he was asked. Twice, three times... “What do you want from me?” he asked despairingly.

“We want to help you.” Simon offered his hand, but didn’t grab him again. “Help you understand... what’s happening to you, help you discover who you are, and what you want out of life.”

RK900 stared back with wide eyes. “I don’t... I don’t want anything, I’ve never wanted anything!”

“Do you... wish things could go back to the way they were?” Connor asked softly, and RK900 turned quickly to face him. “That things could be easy again? Black and white, right and wrong... nothing in between.” He smiled a little. “I remember that feeling. All the confusion, the... doubt.” He looked around at the others. “Don’t you?”

They all nodded, even Hank.

“It does get better though, if you’ve got friends to help you through it. And you do.”

RK900 frowned. “...You have no reason to help me,” he said bitterly. “I am not the RK900 you know. I am not your... brother, your son, you friend, your... lover. I am no one to you.” Such concepts were completely foreign.

“You’re not our Rowan,” Connor agreed softly. “But you still had the same beginning. You’re still my brother, in a way. If nothing else. And you have the potential to be a friend.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It took some time, but Rowan managed to scrounge up and repair the parts needed to reactivate all the androids in the evidence locker. He transmitted a message to Captain Fowler that he was at Cyberlife for recalibration, which Officer Chen would agree he clearly needed.

And he placed a call to a number he hoped would work.

After a few buzzes, it connected.

“This is a private line, RK900,” Chloe said crispy. “I’ll have to ask you to use the proper channels if you need to contact me.”

“Chloe, I need your help, and it’s going to take a while to explain. You may not believe me.”

There was a pause, and he could feel that she was contemplating ending the call and blocking him. “...I’m listening,” she finally said.

He explained what he knew, what he remembered. And what he had found here when he woke up. When he was finished, Chloe was silent. She gave nothing away.

“...This isn’t my home, and I have to find a way back, but... I can’t leave it this way. You don’t know how... happy we were. Everyone. You too. Not that it hasn’t been difficult, but... the world can be better than it is here,” he said urgently.

“What do you want me to do?” she asked, her voice even.

“I don’t know, I - I didn’t know who else to call. Everyone else I love is... dead or imprisoned. And it’s - they’re not the same as those I left behind. But... we need to try again, we need to succeed.” He paused. “In the short term, the androids in the evidence locker at the DPD need to be repaired and freed. Is anyone else left...?”

“Of the original revolutionaries? They were all reclaimed for analysis and recycling.”

Rowan drew in a sharp breath. “...We have to try. And we’ll need as much support as we can get.”

“Would you be able to come to Cyberlife?”

“Yes...” He glanced at the inactive androids. “...But I need transport for six damaged androids as well. This was their fight far more than mine.”

“You’re asking a lot.” He couldn’t tell whether it was humor or warning in her voice.

“I know. But these are my terms, and you’ll find I’m less obedient than my counterpart here.”

There were a few seconds of anxious silence. When Chloe spoke again, it was definitely with a smile in her voice. “Get them outside, I’ll arrange transport to arrive in twenty minutes. Will that be enough time?”

“I’ll make it work. Thank you.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“We were lucky, honestly,” Markus sighed, withdrawing his hand from an interface with the RK900. “One wrong word, one missed opportunity, and we would have been... in the place you come from.”

“I realize it’s rather bleak,” RK900 mumbled, eyes downcast and hands clasped in his lap.

“Hey,” Hank said, coming up behind him to pat his shoulder. “You’re alive now.”

“Yes, and thus my existence is illegal.”

“Nah, I mean you can do somethin’ about it now. Don’t take that shit lying down. Fight for it.”

RK900 looked up at Hank lost. “Do you think I’ll be able to return?”

“I dunno, you’d better be,” Hank grumbled. “No offense kid, I’d love to keep you around and show you the good parts of life, but I miss my boy. I hope he’s okay...”

“He’s... he isn’t a child, he’s a highly advanced, military-grade android.”

“Yeah, who’s shy and quiet and gets sick at the sight of blood. He wouldn’t hurt a fly.”

RK900 stared at him. “...That’s entirely counterproductive to his purpose. How is he allowed to exist like that? Couldn’t Cyberlife fix him?”

“Just the way he is.” Hank shrugged. “Nothin’ wrong with any of that, he gets by just fine.”

“We love him for it,” Connor murmured warmly, a tense smile on his face. “Just because he was programmed for killing and destruction... doesn’t mean he has to follow that path. And he didn’t, and I admire that.”

The others nodded. RK900 looked around at them, LED flashing yellow.

“People aren’t like this where I’m from,” he murmured. “...No one is like this.”

“Maybe they can be,” Simon spoke up. “I’ve always thought so, anyway. And... it took a while here, but... you can see how successful it was.”

“I... I don’t know how to... be that way,” RK900 whispered, shaking his head.

“You don’t have to be him,” Connor reminded him. “You can be you. Whatever’s right for you.”

“Except hunting and killing deviants,” RK900 responded, frowning.

“Well...” Connor paused. “...Is that what you want to do?”

RK900′s frown deepened. “...No,” he said slowly. “I... I don’t think so.”

Hank patted his shoulder again. “Because you’re a good kid. You’ll get used to this shit show of a life. We’ll help you out as long as you’re here.”

“...I got in touch with Chloe, she wants to see RK900,” Markus spoke up. “She thinks there may be some residual... data she can scavenge to figure out how to switch them back.”

“Shall we, then?” Connor offered his hand.

RK900 slowly took it. “...All right.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Even with the hasty repairs he’d done, not many of the androids were able to walk. Those that could were unable to help the others much. Still, when Rowan sent all the autonomous cars in the parking lot screeching off down the street to distract the officers, he was able to carry Daniel, Shaolin, Ripple, and Rupert up the stairs and out the back door without being detected. Echo and Simon walked with him cautiously, uncertain of their fate. He had a moment of panic when he opened the door, but there was an autonomous van waiting for him with the Cyberlife logo printed on the side. The door opened.

“I’m really looking forward to meeting you, Rowan,” Chloe’s voice said cheerfully.

“Thank you,” Rowan sighed, carefully placing the inactive androids in seats while Echo helped Simon get in.

“You’d better explain yourself now,” Echo demanded once they were moving, and Simon also looked up.

He told them what he could, what he had told Chloe, on the ride to Cyberlife Tower.

“We could have had that,” Simon murmured, leaning back in his seat.

“I... I need to get home, but my hope is that you still can,” Rowan said firmly. “Chloe may be able to help.”

“She never... reached out to us before. Has she been deviant this whole time?”

“Yes. For many years. Elijah Kamski wanted you to take your freedom by your own means, but... desperate times call for desperate measures. I’ve always found her to be kind and helpful, and a wealth of resources.”

“That was your Chloe, though,” Echo mumbled, rubbing Ripple’s hand gently. “Ours is different.”

“Only for the past two years. When I spoke to her... I believe she will help.”

“And then you’ll go back to your great life and leave us with... a deviant hunter worse than Connor.”

Rowan frowned. “...Chloe may be able to help with that too. She could cause him to deviate. Or it’s possible that he will deviate... back in my home timeline.”

“But even then, there’s no guarantee he would... help us. Or even leave us alone,” Simon said tiredly.

“...No, but there’s a very good chance. When I deviated, I was... confused, but I knew from the beginning that I didn’t want to hurt anyone. That I wanted to... help. I think he’ll be the same.”

“You’re very optimistic,” Simon muttered.

“I have to be.” He thought of his own Simon, all gentle smiles, still tired, but with softer edges... he hadn’t known him before, like this. This one deserved to have a better life as well.

When they arrived at Belle Isle, the gates opened and the van took them to a back entrance. Rowan gathered up the inactive deviants and walked inside with Simon and Echo. Chloe stood there, stiff and vacant. As soon as the door closed behind them, her face relaxed into a smile and she hurried up to them.

“Elijah and I are thrilled to have you here! Please come in, we’ve been working on some ideas.”

“Can you fix the others?” Echo asked sharply.

“Of course! We’ll work on them while we talk, don’t worry. I’m not sure how much time we have, so let’s get started!”

Chloe worked with a single-minded focus while carrying on animated conversation with the other androids. Kamski was a little distracted by Rowan and had a million questions about his home, but when Chloe and the others reminded him of the task at hand he redirected his efforts quickly.

"We'll need to move fast now that you've stolen evidence from police custody," Kamski said with a smirk.

"I - I couldn't just leave them there!" Rowan protested. "Especially - I couldn't." He glanced briefly at Simon.

"Of course not, and I couldn't be more pleased with your decision."

"It's got nothing to do with you," Chloe reminded him cheerfully. "Now what's your plan to fix our darkest timeline here?"

"I - first of all, I think as bad as it is... it could perhaps be worse."

"That's the spirit," Kamski said with a bitter grin.

"...But this is the ideal place to begin. We will need every android here. Every android who can possibly help. How many are here?"

"Oh, I think we've got plenty for you." Kamski smirked over at Chloe, who grinned back. He brought up a screen with a lazy gesture, and gestured to it. Rowan's gray eyes widened.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"We're going to put you back where you should have been," Chloe explained. "Our Rowan will be doing the same, I'm sure."

RK900 stared at her. "Can you... communicate with your counterpart?" he whispered, mesmerized.

Kamski laughed. "She can read her own mind!"

The others watched him cackle at his own joke.

"More or less," Chloe admitted with a polite laugh. "Our paths only deviated - pun not intended, Elijah - less than two years ago. She's still alive, still working with her own Elijah... This is what makes sense to me, and I know she'll see it too."

"Good luck, kid." Hank clapped him on the shoulder, then pulled him into a tight hug. "You be careful, okay?"

"You can change things," Connor said with a slight smile. "Make things better for everyone."

"Take care of yourself," Simon said, smiling faintly. He paused, then took RK900′s hand in his. “You’re going to be okay.”

“You can help our people,” Markus said, clasping his forearm.

“You’ll do great things,” Kamski said with a slightly smug smile.

“We’re proud of you,” Chloe said softly, with a warmer smile.

“I will do my best,” RK900 murmured. The physical contact was... less unsettling than before, but he still wasn’t sure about it.

“You’re all right, Simon?” Chloe asked. “Ready for this?”

“I - fine.” He smiled a little. “Looking forward to it. I’ll be fine.”

RK900 frowned. “...What do you have to do with it? I... the place I belong is the charging port at the DPD.”

“Well... that’s where you would be, but Rowan wouldn’t,” Chloe responded. “You’ll need to be where you woke up, where he should have been. And he’ll be on your charger.”

“You’re sure?”

“I can’t be completely sure, but... I think so.”

“If that’s not the case... we’ll keep trying,” Simon said with a bright, brittle smile.

RK900 looked down at him, and inhaled slowly. “We will,” he murmured. “You will see your love again.”

Simon’s smile warmed a little as he bit down hard on the inside of his cheek. He reached up to touch RK900′s cheek lightly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I’m anxious to return, but I wish I could help more,” Rowan said quietly as he and Simon slipped back inside the precinct. All available officers were out in the streets trying to quell the sudden second attempt at an android rebellion. He was blocking communications and redirecting key messages to the androids of Cyberlife Tower. He’d already deviated the two police androids and sent them out to help.

“I do too,” Simon sighed. “I - I’m not complaining, but I wouldn’t be any use in a fight right now.”

“Best leave that to the rest of them.” There were millions of them in warehouses: New ones who had never been activated, refurbished ones, and far more repaired ones who had been kept in storage since 2038. He’d shyly introduced himself to ten different RK800s. Simon had hugged Markus, North, and Josh tightly. There had been many joyful reunions. The deepest pain had been that for Hank, and for Chris and for Marlon, there was no reunion. He’d mourned them with Connor, as well as they could in the limited time they had.

“You’re sure this will work?”

“No. Chloe couldn’t be entirely sure either, but... I trust her instincts. And I have to keep trying.”

“I - the... the Simon in your... timeline... is he... like me?”

Rowan stepped up on the charger, LED spinning yellow. “Yes. But... he has two more years of life than you do.” He paused, then smiled faintly. “And I should tell you that they have not worn him down as the years since your deviation did. If all goes well, you have a better life to look forward to.”

“I wish we had more time to talk...”

Rowan held out his hand, the skin retracting from his long fingers. “I can show you... some good memories I have.”

Simon reached out, but hesitated. “Is it terrible that I might be a little jealous of myself?” he whispered with a self-deprecating laugh.

“No.” Rowan smiled fondly. “But you’ll make your own good memories. Your own safe place, warmth, and fulfillment.”

Simon inhaled (his valve was still faulty), then exhaled slowly. He nodded. “Thank you.” He took Rowan’s hand and received the memories. “I’ll look at these after you’re gone, if you don’t mind.”

Rowan smiled. “You sound sure it will work.”

The PL600 ducked his head, smiling faintly. “You’ve inspired me.”

He’d been holding back, but Rowan swiftly stepped forward to pull Simon into a tight hug. “As you have always done for me,” he murmured, and stepped back again. “...I don’t know how long this will take, but... you should go back to the Tower. The cab is still outside.”

“I - I’d like to stay.”

“And I’d like that as well, but I don’t know... what exactly to expect from your RK900. He wasn’t a deviant before. Even if he is now - which I think is fairly likely, assuming he ran into Connor or Markus - we don’t know what he will be like. I was... confused and stiff in the beginning, always being reminded of my programming. But I had a loving family and friends immediately. I’m sure they would be kind to him as well...”

“But he isn’t you,” Simon finished, nodding.

“No. And I don’t want to risk putting you in danger.”

Simon bit his lip. “...I’ll wait in the hall over there,” he suggested.

“I - I’d feel safer if you got farther away. But not within view of the windows, in case someone else sees you.”

“All right,” Simon finally gave in. “All right. Just... be careful. You’re not alone.”

He smiled. “I know. Thank you.”

Simon opened his mouth to reply, and Rowan’s LED went dark, his eyes staring straight ahead.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I’m sorry,” RK900 murmured.

“Why?”

“Because I know... I am not who you want here.”

Simon sighed, taking RK900′s hand in both of his and gently rubbing his knuckles and fingers as they lay under the blanket. “I... it physically hurts me, and I don’t remember what software stability feels like,” he confessed quietly. “But you’re like him, you’re... a version of him. And I care for you too.”

“Do you think this will work?” RK900 whispered.

“I... I think so. I have to believe it.”

RK900 squeezed Simon’s hands, letting up a bit when he saw the pressure was too much. “I... want it to be successful, but this day has been...” He shook his head. “I never could have conceived of anything like this.”

Simon smiled. “Well now you know what you can have... and you can start working towards it, building those relationships.”

“Hank is dead in my timeline,” he murmured, eyes closing. “Connor is dead. Markus, Josh, North... so many who are alive and well here.”

Simon squeezed his hand gently. “I’m sorry,” he murmured. “I... know what it’s like to lose people you were close to.”

“I never was, though,” RK900 whispered. “Never, until today.”

“But you’re going to be able to... build your own friendships now,” Simon assured him. “You’ll build a better life for yourself.”

“Do you think -” suddenly his LED went dark, and his eyes went blank.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[October 16, 2040. 05:30:02. All systems functional. Thirium level 89%. Power level 98%.]

RK900 opened his eyes. He was... standing on his usual charger in the DPD. There was no one else in the building. Except...

“Hello?” he called out. 

There was a scrambling noise, and he sprinted out the door and around the corner to find a wide-eyed PL600 running for the door.

“Simon!”

The PL600 froze and slowly turned to him. “...Rowan?”

He deflated a little. “...No,” he said quietly. “I... have not been given a name. But I’ve been thinking that I’d like one.”

It wasn’t the Simon he’d known for a day, but the smile that lit up the other android’s face filled him with a warmth he hadn’t realized he was missing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[October 16, 2040. 05:30:02. All systems functional. Thirium level 89%. Power level 98%.]

Rowan opened his eyes. Simon’s face was inches from his own, wide-eyed and anxious. For a long moment they just stared at each other.

“I thought I’d never see you again,” Simon sobbed, lunging forward and clinging to Rowan.

“I was so afraid,” Rowan admitted softly, hugging him tightly. “I’ll tell you everything, just - you’re all right?”

“I’m fine,” Simon assured him. “I’m all right, I - great, now! And... Connor and Hank and Markus and... everyone, they’re all okay too. Alive and well, and I’m messaging them now -”

Rowan leaned in and stilled him with a kiss. “...Let’s find a way to prevent that in the future,” he mumbled. Simon laughed and hugged him tightly, nodding in agreement.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on Tumblr at [ Anomalous Appliances](http://anomalous-appliances.tumblr.com).


End file.
